Sciatica or Piriformis Syndrome - Which is It?

A large amount of confusion and misunderstanding exists concerning the conditions sciatica and piriformis syndrome. There are some who insist that the two conditions are actually the same thing, but even though they can have symptoms that are very much alike, the underlying causes differ.

Acupuncture is a form of alternative medicine that originated from China. Fine needles are inserted into your skin in strategic points in the body to release negative energy and restore health and well-being, and treat pain and illnesses. It has been proven effective by medical practitioners. It is highly recommended as a treatment for generic lumbar pain, even for mild sciatica, as it supposedly releases tension from the spastic muscles and relieves the pressure from the compressed nerve.

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Sciatica, as the name implies, affects the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is the single longest nerve in the body. It originates from the lower lumber region of your spine, through the pelvis, through the hind portion of your leg down to your foot. It is mainly responsible for distributing blood to the back of our lower extremities.

The most common causes of sciatica are: a herniated disc, lumbar spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, trauma, piriformis syndrome, and spinal tumors. When one suffers from a herniated disc, there is an inflammation or bulging of the spinal disc causing it to protrude out of the annulus. The annulus is the space between the spine where the spinal discs are located. Disc herniation could exert pressure on the nearby nerve root causing a direct compression on sensitive nerve tissues such as the sciatic nerve. Lumbar spinal stenosis is almost the same as disc herniation in the sense that spinal nerves are pinched. In this case, though, the spinal canal shrinks, squeezing and applying too much pressure on the spinal nerve inside. The spinal nerve branches out of the spinal canal to the entire body through openings called as neural foramina. Once these passages are congested or narrowed, it causes nerve compression. If the blockage happens on these passageways, they're considered foraminal stenosis. If it occurs on the opening where the sciatic nerve passes, it may cause sciatica.

In some cases, piriformis syndrome may cause true sciatic nerve irritation, as the sciatic nerve may run underneath or even through the middle of the piriformis, so contraction of the piriformis may produce sufficient compression of the sciatic nerve to produce actual nerve symptoms. This is one of the main sources of confusion when it comes to distinguishing true sciatica from piriformis syndrome.

The second maneuver is done in two parts. First, from the sitting position one bends the leg and pulls the knee on the painful side towards the same-side shoulder. In all but the most severe cases, there is usually no major increase in pain in this position. The second part of the maneuver is to pull the knee toward the opposite side shoulder. An increase in the sciatica-like symptoms is a strong indication of piriformis syndrome.

Lastly, spinal tumors are anomalous growths on the spine that can either be benign or malignant. Rare as sciatica cases being caused by spinal tumors may be, once a tumor develops in the lumbar region, it may cause nerve compression that may trigger sciatica.

So what sciatica cures work and which ones don't? Now this is not going to be a witch hunt on all the products available. What this article will do is give you a set of guidelines to follow to see if the so called sciatica cure will ease your pain and most of all stop it returning. There are too many products to list, so you need to know which ones to look out for... the ones that are the miracle sciatica cure.

Exercise Therapy Exercise therapy refers to the implementation of exercise with a specific goal in mind. An exercise therapy program may be supervised or unsupervised. Supervised exercise is usually part of a physical rehabilitative program. Patients may be provided with simple exercises, which they can perform at home. Home exercises are often provided to help improve flexibility and restore the strength required to stabilize a joint region. Some exercises are provided to help reduce the risk for injury or re-injury. A spinal stabilization exercise program is often used to strengthen muscles around the spine to reduce excessive or abnormal joint and spinal region movement patterns. Physical Therapy Physical therapy often includes the application of modalities such as ultrasound, electrical stimulation, heat, cold and iontophoresis in an attempt to reduce pain and inflammation. In some cases a combination of these approaches may be used. Manual approaches such as joint mobilization or joint manipulation may be applied during the course of physical therapy. The patient may be entered into a progressive exercise program to improve flexibility, muscular strength and endurance. The patient may be referred to an outside facility for aquatic therapy. Work Injury Rehabilitation Evaluation of the injured worker may require a functional capacity evaluation (FCE). The findings serve as a baseline of physical performance capacity at the workplace. If significant deficits are found a course of work conditioning/work hardening may be implemented. This involves the implementation of postural retraining and a course of specific exercises. Onsite or simulated job analysis may be recommended to help design the best therapeutic approach. An ergonomic or workplace assessment may be implemented to provide further insight into the rehabilitative requirements and to assist in the implementation of preventive measures. The practice of chiropractic and acupuncture is based on providing care without drugs or surgery. At LSRC, our doctors are well trained in disease prevention, clinical nutrition and the science of tissue recovery and repair. Our doctors understand the steps required to promote maximum musculoskeletal tissue recovery and repair and return you to an active lifestyle! "

Two simple maneuvers will distinguish sciatica from piriformis syndrome in the majority of cases (when the problem is one versus the other and not both conditions at the same time). First, in a seated position, if one straightens the leg on the painful side (so that the leg is parallel to the floor), and the sciatica symptoms increase, this is usually a sign of true sciatic nerve irritation.

The essential ingredients are: Techniques to Release Muscle tension - the Piriformis muscle is the most common cause of sciatica pain. The sciatic nerve runs through the muscle and if tight it will irritate the sciatic nerve causing your sciatica. So the first essential ingredient is a technique or two to release muscle tension.

Sciatica pain is that horrible pain that so many suffer from. It affects your enjoyment of life as you get that gnawing pain down your leg. You find even the simplest task hard as you can not relax without the fear of your sciatica kicking in.

Detailed information on our services are as follows: Non-Surgical Therapeutic Approaches (Chiropractic Services Summaries) Spinal Disc Decompression An FDA approved treatment of herniated and degenerative discs WITHOUT surgery, which has been shown to be both SAFE and PAINLESS. More than 86% effective in relieving lower back pain and sciatica. Designed to correct the underlying problem, not just relieve the symptoms. An effective treatment for herniated disc, degenerative disc, sciatica, facet syndrome, spinal stenosis, Pre/Post surgical patients. Clinical Nutrition There are numerous ways, which healthcare specialists use to assess the unique nutritional needs of an individual which include taking a thorough history, reviewing dietary habits, physical examination and the performance of laboratory tests such as blood, stool and urine analysis. An individualized nutritional approach will promote health and tissue recovery. Specific supplemental recommendations may be provided to help facilitate anabolic recovery of compromised tissues. Special attention may be placed on recommending neuroprotective strategies in those cases where there is neurological compromise or disease. Physiotherapy Physiotherapy if often one of the earliest approaches taken in a physical medicine setting. It can be used to help an individual gain strength, improve flexibility, reduce pain, and promote greater independence. It is commonly used to treat conditions that affect muscles and nerves. One of the primary applications is the rehabilitation from stroke or injury. Physiotherapy approaches include the use of heat, cold, electric stimulation, ultrasound, iontophoresis, traction and massage. Physical Rehabilitation During the physical rehabilitative approach, attention is placed on the health and integrity of bone and soft tissues, biomechanical function of the affected joint or joints, and the patient's psychosocial response. Physical rehabilitation may be used in conjunction with functional restoration techniques such as physical mobilization or manipulation of joints and related tissues. Adjustive techniques often help promote mobility during the healing process while also promoting quicker and more enduring results. Weight Management Weight management refers to the application of methods to help an individual lose weight. This may involve dietary counseling, nutritional supplementation, exercise therapy or recommendations and behavioral counseling. Acupuncture

Another cause can be spondylolisthesis, or more commonly known as slipped discs. It may also cause sciatica when a vertebral disc moves out of place and applies direct pressure to the spinal nerve adjacent to it, usually occuring on the lumbar or the lower portion of the spine. Blunt force trauma to the lower back region may cause severe damage to the spine and may cause sciatica as well. Accidents or external forces that may cause bone fractures like vehicular accidents, horse riding accidents, sports injuries may all lead to sciatica as bone fragments may occasionally be the cause of the nerve compression. The piriformis syndrome occurs when the piriformis muscle spasms and compresses the sciatic nerve. In this case, the sciatic nerve running beneath the piriformis muscle may sometimes get irritated by movement of the said muscle.

"Hello, I got Sciatol for my husband. Three weeks later his back pain is almost gone. Sciatol works! I'm ordering a second bottle." Danna, OH

Sciatica pain is dreadful, it drags you down, you feel frustrated from all the things you can't do. You want relief; you want to be able to move around without the fear of pain suddenly running down your leg. Sciatica is common and debilitating and it can be easily removed if the product you seek has all the right ingredients - assess, stretch, strengthen, re-align and re-balance.

And that is it in a nut shell. If you can find a product that covers all these areas, then you have found a product that will not only eliminate your sciatica, it will also stop it returning.

About the Author:

Dr. George Best is in private practice in San Antonio, Texas. For more information, check out Dr. Best's free e-book and online video course to assist in understanding and treating sciatica and piriformis syndrome, including in-depth instruction on sciatica exercises at http://www.SciaticaSelfCare.com .

Methods to Re-Align the Pelvis - the pelvic bones can distort. When they do this the muscles in the buttock (the Piriformis) will tighten, leading to sciatica. Pelvic distortion is also the biggest cause of lower back pain. If you fail to re-align the pelvis, long term sciatic relief will not happen.

As mentioned earlier, the symptoms of true sciatica are very similar to piriformis syndrome. Both cause pain, tingling, burning, "electrical shock" sensations, and/or numbness down the leg, often all the way to the foot. In addition, both sciatica and piriformis syndrome tend to be at least partially related to biomechanical functional problems in the joints of the back and pelvis and they may even be present simultaneously in the same person, so it an be difficult to tell them apart.

Have you ever felt a chronic, burning pain that spreads from your lower hip running down to your foot? Is it just as painful sitting down or standing up? You might be suffering from sciatica.

Spinal Manipulation Joint manipulation is used to help promote an optimum the tissue repair process through the various stages of healing. Tissues tend to recover and remodel consistent with the stresses placed upon them during the healing process. Some movement is required for the tissues to heal strong and flexible enough to allow normal joint movement and to adequately withstand physical loads placed upon the tissue. In each stage of repair, methods are used to lessen pain, reduce extent of injury, aid in remodeling of granulation tissue, break adhesions as they develop, and most important, attempt to prevent chronic joint stiffness and /or a potential chronic pain syndrome from developing. Spinal manipulation is most effective if it is used in combination with muscle therapy, correction and maintenance of proper posture, home and in-office exercises and stretching, and proper work and home ergonomics.

Ways to Improve Lower Back Strength - there is no point just targeting the sciatic nerve unless you remove all lower back pain and the distortions there. Sciatica is caused by many factors. The lower spine and spine in general can help to cause sciatica. So you need ways to assess your spine for distortion patterns, to see if there are other factors causing your sciatica.

There are a lot of treatments recommended for sciatica, some non-invasive and some involving surgery. In cases of bone fragments, spinal tumor, and severe cases of slipped or herniated disc causing the sciatica, of course surgery would be required as treatment. But for some minor instances, chiropractic treatment and acupuncture is enough to relieve the pain. Chiropractic therapy may range from ice/cold therapy, ultrasound, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), to spine adjustment or manipulation. These entail for the lumber area to be exposed to cold or heat to reduce inflammation and muscle spasms.

You may have spent years searching for a cure, and still remain with sciatic pain. You may have even felt like giving up and having that surgery, in the hope that something will at least ease your sciatica pain.

Techniques to Assess your Spine - if you can't see where the problem is coming from, you will not know how to eliminate it permanently. All so called sciatica cures need to teach you ways to assess your spine and see where problems occur.

Piriformis syndrome, also known as "pseudo-sciatica" (meaning "false sciatica"), is actually referral pain and other symptoms (tingling, numbness, etc.) caused by tightness and knots of contraction in the piriformis muscle, which runs from the upper femur bone to the edge of the sacrum, the triangular pelvic bone that is below the lumbar spine. The symptoms of piriformis syndrome are very similar and may be indistinguishable from true sciatica.

Techniques to Strengthen Muscles - just like a see-saw, if one muscle is too tight there will be others that are too weak. You need exercises (not necessarily gym exercises or lifting weights) to improve the strength of muscles. Ideally ways to improve the nerve and blood supply as this is the prime reason they weaken in the first place.

Dr Graeme Teague is an expert in the structural field, and has been in practice since 1991. His newly launched web site The Back Pain Advisor - http://www.back-pain-advisor.com - strives to give you valuable and expert advice, tips and information on your back pain issues.

But since the most effective treatment for the two conditions varies signficantly, it is important to determine the correct diagnosis if at all possible. In most cases there is an easy way to distinguish between sciatica and piriformis syndrome.

For more information on Sciatica issues just visit Sciatica - http://www.back-pain-advisor.com/sciatica.html

Receive a free e-book on back pain when you subscribe to our newsletter, just click here - Back Pain Adviser - http://www.back-pain-advisor.com/back-pain-adviser.html

It has been proposed that acupuncture may stimulate a local immune response and also contribute to the release of special chemicals within the central nervous system referred to as endorphins and enkephalins, both, which are natural pain reducing compounds. Acupuncture has been used by millions of American patients and performed by thousands of physicians, dentists, acupuncturists, and other practitioners for relief or prevention of pain and for a variety of health conditions. After reviewing the existing body of knowledge, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration removed acupuncture needles from the category of ""experimental medical devices"" and now regulates them just as it does other devices, such as surgical scalpels and hypodermic syringes, under good manufacturing practices and single-use standards of sterility. Over the years, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has funded a variety of research projects on acupuncture, including studies on the mechanisms by which acupuncture may produce its effects, as well as clinical trials and other studies. Dietary, lifestyle, and exercise recommendations may accompany the acupuncture approach.

It is important to distinguish between sciatica and piriformis syndrome, because the treatment for the conditions varies, and getting the diagnosis right typically leads to more effective treatment.

Sciatica refers to irritation of the sciatic (often mis-spelled as syatic or psyatic) nerve, that arises from nerve roots in the lumbar spine. The most common cause of sciatic nerve irritation, or "true" sciatica is compression of one or more of its component nerve roots due to disc herniation or spinal degeneration in the lower lumbar region. Sciatica usually begins in the buttock area and, depending on the severity of the underlying nerve comression and inflammation, may extend down the entire leg to the ankle and foot.

So if you have been experiencing sharp, burning pain on your lower extremities, it is best that you consult a medical practitioner at once. You might be experiencing sciatica. But like they say, prevention is better than cure. Let's not abuse our bodies. RESOURCE BOX: Choose Variety of High Quality Medicines at Online Medicines Enjoyed Reading this article? More here: Pharmacy Articles

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